How to change the type of contacts on Xiaomi: all ways to customize MIUI

Xiaomi smartphones based on the company shell MIUI They offer flexible customizations to personalize the interface, including displaying contacts. Many users are unaware that the standard look of a phone book can be changed significantly, from sorting by name/surname to grouping by tags or even changing the display style (list/grid). This article will reveal all available methods for transforming the appearance of contacts – both through built-in settings. MIUI, and through third-party applications.

Xiaomi’s feature is that contact management functionality can vary depending on the firmware version and regional build. For example, the global version of MIUI 14 offers options that are not available in the Chinese version of MIUI 13. We will look at universal methods that work on most models, from the Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and also point out the nuances for specific versions of the software.

Standard settings for displaying contacts in MIUI

The basic settings for changing the contact view are hidden in the Contacts app (or Phone in English builds). To open them, tap the three-point menu in the upper right corner and select Settings. Here are the key options:

• 📌 Sorting contacts: by name or surname (important for Russian-speaking users, where the surname often comes first).
• 📊 Display format: list or grid (the latter option is convenient for a quick search by photo).
• 🔍 Show contacts: everything, only with phone numbers or only with email.
• 📇 Grouping: by accounts (Google, SIM, device) or marks.

For example, if you choose to sort by last name, contacts with the names "Ivanov Peter" and "Petrov Ivan" will be displayed in alphabetical order by the first letter of the last name, rather than the first letter of the last name. This is especially true for business correspondence. And the grid mode allows you to see up to 6 contacts on the screen at the same time - useful for those who often call the same people.

Note that some versions of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 12.5 for POCO F3) may not have a grid option, in which case it can be activated via the MIUI lab (discussed below) or third-party launchers.

How to change the display style: list vs grid

Switching between list and grid modes is the most visible way to change the way contacts are viewed. In grid mode, each contact is represented by a square card with a photo (or default avatar) and a name. It visually resembles a gallery and is convenient for a touch interface.

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Put it on the icon. ⋮ (three-point) → species.
3. Select Grid (or Grid View in English).

If the option is not on the menu, try an alternative route:

Settings → Additional → Laboratory → Enable “Contact Grid Mode”

In MIUI versions below 12.0.3, the grid mode may not work smoothly, as the scroll will “twitch” and in this case, it is recommended to update the firmware or use third-party applications (about them in the next section).

Update the Contacts app on Google Play

Backup your contacts (Settings → Import/Export)

Check out the MIUI version (Settings → About the phone)

Restart the device after the changes-->

Grouping and Filtering of Contacts

MIUI It allows you to group contacts according to different criteria: accounts (Google, SIM-A map, a device, tags, or even a company (in business versions of firmware), which is useful if you have hundreds of records and you need to quickly find the right one:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Settings → Grouping of contacts.
2. Choose one of the options: 📱 By accounts: splitting into Google, SIM1, SIM2, device. 🏷️ By tag: if you have pre-assigned labels (e.g., "Work", "Family"). 🔤 By alphabet: classical division into letters (A, B, B...).

Business users are particularly interested in grouping by company, and to activate it, you need to manually add the company name to your contact card (Organization field), and then you will see the option to Group by company in the settings.

If you don’t have built-in grouping options, consider apps like Contacts+ or Truecaller that offer advanced filters (like the date of the last call or contact frequency).

Hidden functions: MIUI Lab for Contacts

Xiaomi has a hidden menu called MIUI Lab, where developers test new features before they are officially released, and you can find experimental contact options that aren't yet available in the basic settings to open the lab.

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the line MIUI version (you will be a developer!).
3. Return to the main settings menu and open additionally → Laboratory.
4. Find the Contacts (or Dialer) section.

Depending on the version of the firmware, here can be available:

• 🔄 Auto-Association of Duplicates: Contacts with the same numbers will merge automatically.
• 📞 Quick dial: displaying the keyboard to dial a number on top of the contact list.
• 🎨 Color tags: assigning colors to different contact groups.
• 🔍 Smart search: search not only by name, but also by number, email or notes in the card.

⚠️ Note: Functions from the lab may not work smoothly or reset after an update MIUI. Do not turn on options, the purpose of which you do not understand - this can lead to malfunctions in the phone book.

For example, the color label option allows you to assign green for work contacts, red for personal contacts, and blue for family, which visually makes navigating a long list easier, but in MIUI 13, this feature sometimes conflicts with the theme of the design, making the tags invisible against a dark background.

Third-party applications for contact customization

If built-in capabilities MIUI It's not enough, you can install alternative applications for working with contacts, and they offer advanced design options that are not available in the standard phone book.-3 decision:

1. Contacts+: 🎨 Complete customization of appearance (fonts, colors, animations). 🔒 Sync with Google, iCloud and even LinkedIn. 📊 Smart filters (e.g. Contacts without photos").
2. Truecaller: 🛡️ Blocking spam and identifying unfamiliar numbers. 📞 Built-in dialer with call recording. 🌐 Support for more 200 countries (relevant to travellers).
3. Simple Contacts: ⚡ Minimalist interface without unnecessary functions. 📱 Lightweight app (weighs less) 5 MB). 🔄 Fast import/export in vCard format.

When using third-party applications, consider two key points:

1. Sync: Some applications (such as Contacts+) create duplicate contacts. Backup via Settings → Import/Export before installing.
2. Permissions: Only allow access to contacts and calls. If an app requests access to an SMS or location without giving a reason, that's a cause for concern.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 there is a bug that third-party contact apps may not display photos from a Google account.Solution: Clear the Contacts app cache in your phone settings.

If you choose between Truecaller and Contacts+, Note that the first one is more focused on security (blocking spam), and the second one is more focused on design and organization.+ through integration with CRM-system.

Problems and mistakes in changing the type of contact

When setting up the display of contacts on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

One of the most frustrating mistakes is resetting the contact view settings after the MIUI update, which is because some of the settings are stored in a cache that is cleared when you update, to avoid the problem:

• Before updating, take screenshots of the current settings (or write them down).
• Use the Backup function in Settings → Additional → Backup.
• After the update, do not open the Contacts app until you restore the settings.

If the contacts are not displayed correctly after the changes (for example, instead of names, phone numbers), check the storage format. MIUI sometimes loses the encoding, and Russian names are displayed as a set of characters.

Settings → Additional → Language and input → Encoding → Select UTF-8

Additional chips: widgets and gestures

In addition to changing the view inside the Contacts app, you can set up quick access to frequently used contacts through widgets and gestures. Here are some useful tricks:

• 📱 Featured Contacts Widget: Long tap on the home screen → Find the contact widget (usually) 4×1 or 4×2). Drag it to the screen and select contacts to display.

Gesture for a quick call

• In MIUI 13+, you can assign a double tap to an empty space on the lock screen to call the last contact.
• Path: Settings → Lock screen → Additional → Quick actions.

Contacts search through the notification panel

• Activate in Settings → Notification Panel → Quick settings → Contact Search.
• Now swipe down you can quickly find contact without opening the application.

For Xiaomi users with Always-On Display (AOD), there is a hidden feature to display their favorite contacts directly on the screen off, to activate it:

Settings → Lock screen → Always-On Display → Set up → Add “Favorite Contacts”

In MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 13/13 Pro, the Featured Contacts widget supports animation when pressed – the contact bounces off as live, which adds interactivity. However, this feature consumes an additional battery, so it can be turned off in the widget settings.

💡

If you call the same people often, create a folder on the home screen with their contacts shortcuts. To do this, long click on the contact in the phone book and select "Add to the home screen."

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up contacts on Xiaomi